After a weekend wetter than an otters pocket the sun miraculously appeared above Chipstead's lovely ground and shone down on the 2nd year of the "Babycham Cup" - given added spice by the presence of double-agents Freeland and Fairclough in the Mogs line up.
A battery of carnivorous fast bowlers hung menacingly around the pre-match barbeque, visibly salivating both at the prospect of charcoal grilled burgers and a green top bouncy wicket, and when inserted the Mogs familiar looking side knew they were in for a searching examination against a sharp seam attack.
Tharp and Furner negotiated the opening overs without undue alarm against brisk Australian overseas Steve "Muddy" Waters. Following the departure of the little master to a 'popper', Fairclough and Tharp tucked into any width with crashing intent, but after a brief contre-temps with ageing fire-breather Greg Barber, Fairclough departed for 17 quickly followed by his partner for 24. Ex-Natal seamer Grant Bowman was by now finding a coruscating line and length, but was thwarted by Freeland mixing solid defense with reckless aggression to surprisingly good effect. Hewitt however was undone by extra
bounce after some early innings violence and Mog CEO Martin had his off stump plucked out as clinically as a rotten tooth to leave the Mogs on a precarious 110 for 6.
Freeland (48) continued his assault to hike the score past 150 in
partnerships with Abbott (11) and Jackson (6) before off-spinner Phil
"Scolari" Davies joyously ended the rivalry and quickly polished off the tail for a slightly below par Mog total of 160 from 38 overs.
The Mogs displayed their collective fecundity at tea with 6 children happily gambolling around their feet at various stages of development, including test hopeful Oscar Lewis (2yrs) who was retired by exhausted father Matt for a text-book 382 not out in the nets. Their reproductive skills were not reflected to any great degree in the subsequent bowling and fielding performance on the pitch as Chipstead openers Alan Clark and Daryl Hattingh disrupted line and length to devestating effect reaching 90 from the opening 10 overs.
However their most potent weapon was to be found hovering directly over mid-on where Peter Furner seemed tranfixed in mid-Alien abduction mode by blindingly bright lights later claimed to be a low sun (1630hrs first week of September).
The batsmen exploited this phenomenon with a series of floated chip shots, falling tantalisingly within inches of the hapless Furner to the increasing frustrating of bowler Abbott - later to be afflicted by the same mysterious blind spot - whilst the burly Clark continued to heave 70 from 49 balls of blacksmithian clubbing.
With the seamers pummelled out of the attack, the burden of wicket taking fell on the shoulders of spin twins Lewis and Hewitt who started eating their way through the Chipstead batting order like a pair of buzz-saws. Astonishingly 110-1 became 150-8 with Lewis taking 5-26 from 8 overs of guile, spin and the unquenchable spirit for which he is famous. Hewitt was equally effective if unlucky with 2-19 from 7, but after another of his savagely turning quick off-breaks sped away for 4 byes the game was up and Chipstead emerged as deserved winners after 29 pulsating overs.
Report by J Freeland
MWCC Stats